In: Biology
Draw a phylogeny of plants and describe the major evolutionary transitions that occurred at each branch
Answer :
The charophytes of green algae gave rise to land plants.
Liverwort developed rhizoids to root in land.
Dominant plant in Bryophytes ( liverwort, mosses and hornworts) are gametophytic generation than sporophytic.
Stomata of leaves appeared in hornworts and mosses not in liverworts.
Club mosses developed vascular system xylem and phloem.
Mosses lack true leaves, roots and stem.
Club mosses have true leaves, roots and stem.
From club mosses sporophyte is dominant to gametophyte.
Megaphylls first appeared in mosses. Less specialised microphylls were there in club mosses.
Horsetail is rough plant with silica. Ferns are soft.
Gymnosperms developed seeds first in evolution. Where as ferns had only spores.
Ferns require water for fertilization. Gymnosperms don't.
Angiosperms are first flowering plants to evolve with friuts. Gymnosperms had seeds but no flowers.
Please see picture attached.